In Memory: A New Trend — Turning Your Cat into a Diamond! 0 14

You can transform not only a cat into a precious gem. Currently, there are many companies offering services to create a “memorial diamond.” This may seem strange, but scientifically, it is quite justified.

A diamond is a collection of carbon atoms tightly “packed” in a crystalline lattice. For example, if you take graphite or coal and place it under high pressure and temperature, the carbon atoms within these materials will be forced to form such a pattern, turning into a diamond.

Thus, just like a piece of coal, biological tissue can be converted into a diamond, as living organisms are primarily composed of water and carbon. After cremation, specialists collect the remaining ash and purify it from impurities, leaving only pure carbon, which is then placed in a chamber at a temperature of about 1370°C and a pressure of 394,625 pounds per square inch. The diamond formation process takes up to eight weeks.

Many companies have been engaged in this unusual activity for years. Despite the high cost of the service, the process is becoming increasingly popular, and people are turning both their loved ones and pets into diamonds.